


Red Shift Blue Shift

by TheSmellOfDustAfterRain



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: A Study in Pink, M/M, Red String of Fate, follows storyline, kind of, soulmate au?, with slight variations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 08:54:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6148246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSmellOfDustAfterRain/pseuds/TheSmellOfDustAfterRain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When objects move away from you they take on a red tint, and when they move toward you they start to appear blue.<br/>The past is always moving away from you and the future towards you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Shift Blue Shift

Everybody knows what the lines mean. The red line behind you shows you where you've been, and the blue line shows where you are going. They don't show the actual paths you have taken, just connecting important events together. These nodes shine white and indicate events that can change your path. You can only see another person's nodes if they match up.

The first node John reached was after he got in his first fight defending Harry from their father. His mother said that that showed his desire to protect people. He reached the second node when he decided to become a doctor, and the third when he first saw an advert to join the military. 

John knew something would happen the day he got shot, as his blueline started to flash. As the bullet ripped through his shoulder, his vision went white from a combination of pain and his fourth node.

After he was discharged and returned to London, his line was weak and barely visible. John refused to reach another node and adamantly went the opposite direction of his line. Until Mike.

John had been walking away from his line when he was stopped by his old classmate. After lunch, Mike led John through St. Bart's and his line brighten a bit.

Sherlock Holmes was eccentric, that was certain. John wasn't going to meet the strange man the next day, but while searching for Sherlock online, he saw his line weakly flash.

Perhaps I will show up, just to see, John thought.

The next day, he found himself following his line behind the detective. For a second he thought Sherlock might be following the same line.

Sherlock abandoned him, and he was kidnapped by a pompous, slightly creepy, man with an umbrella. When John received Sherlock's texts his line started flashing brighter and it seemed as if the man could see it.

"Interesting," he said. "I would tell you to stay away for Sherlock Holmes, but I don't think it will do any good."

"Right about that," John replied.

Sherlock's texts grabbed John's attention and the threat of danger had John going to collect his gun.

He arrived to 221B to see Sherlock sprawled out on the couch.

"I need you to send a text," he said.

"You called my from the other side of the city to send a text for you? You could do it yourself, you have a phone," John responded.

"My number's on my website. It might be recognized."

John sent the text, then realized who he had texted.

"Did I just text a murderer?"

Before he got an answer, the pink phone rang.

After that, John found himself in an Italian restaurant waiting for a killer.

The ensuing conversation was awkward, and John was relieved when they chased down the taxi cab.

They return to the flat after the fruitless endeavour, to find Scotland yard searching the building.

Sherlock walked out after the banter between himself and the same DI from the pink crime scene.

Suddenly John's line turned iridescent blue, flashing manically. Something like fear, or maybe excitement, coursed through his body.

He hailed a cab, calling directions where his line turned. He ended up if front of two buildings, his line heading toward the one on the left.

Running down the halls, his line led him to a room where he could see Sherlock and another man through the two windows. In front of the window was a node.

John raised his gun as Sherlock raised a pill to his mouth. He acted on instinct, pulling the trigger on the other man. John ducked under the window to avoid detection.

He tucked away his gun and found a bathroom to wash the gun powder residue off of his hands.

Outside, behind the police tape he caught the eye of Sherlock wrapped up in a bright orange blanket. John saw a second node and, judging by his expression, Sherlock saw it too.

Sherlock quickly dismissed the DI and crossed under the tape.

"Did you see that?" Sherlock asked.

John nodded, giggling.

"Hush, we can't giggle at a crime scene," Sherlock said even as a lighthearted laugh escaped. "How many is that for you?"

"Six," John answered, "Including the two tonight."

"You had two in one day?"

"Yeah, one before I... ugh, helped out with that cabbie and the one just now."

"This is only my second."

John was about to remake on that when he caught sight of the man who kidnapped him. 

"That's him. That's the man," John said.

"I know exactly who that is."

The two walked up to the man.

"Kidnapping innocent bystanders again, Mycroft," Sherlock said.

"He doesn't seem very innocent right now," umbrella man replied.

"Keep out of it," Sherlock said, flatly.

"I just want to make sure you are not associating with unsavoury characters. You know how it upsets Mummy," the man responded.

"Mummy?" John asked. "Wait, you to are related?"

"Yes,this is my brother" Sherlock said, in response. "Who did you think he was?"

"I don't know. Part of a creepy, face-less organization."

"Well, you wouldn't be wrong," Sherlock said, grinning.

"I was simply look out for you well-being," Mycroft responded.

"Why don't you leave me alone and follow your line, which I infer is leading straight to Lestrade."

Mycroft looked toward the DI, then back to Sherlock with a look that asked 'how did you know'.

"Please, it was obvious. You've been sneaking glances at him since you got here," Sherlock explained.

 Mycroft tried to stammer out a response, but gave up and hesitantly headed over to Lestrade. 

Based off of their reactions they had both reached a node.

Sherlock nodded and said, "Maybe he'll be less annoying. At least for a time."

The two turned away from the activity. 

"So what now?" John asked.

"I know a good Chinese place that's still open."

"I meant about how we both saw that node."

"Probably the same thing we would have if we hadn't seen it. You move in and see where things go from there."

"Works for me," John said.

The two walked away, following their separate but parallel lines.


End file.
